ABIA SECURITY FOILS CATTLE RUSTLING PLOT MEANT TO SPARK COMMUNAL UNREST
Amy Adindu
Three Fulani cattle rustlers have been arrested in Ohiya Community, Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State, by operatives of Operation Crush, a special security task force set up by the state government to tackle crime and maintain public safety.
The arrest was disclosed at a press briefing in Umuahia by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Retired Navy Commander Macdonald Uba, who commended the swift and strategic action of the security operatives. According to Uba, their intervention averted what could have been a dangerous communal crisis.
“The suspects intended to steal cattle from fellow Fulani herdsmen and shift the blame onto the host community, a move that could have ignited ethnic tensions and damaged long-standing peace,” Uba explained.
Averted Crisis, Ongoing Investigation
The operation, which took place on Monday, exposed a calculated attempt to manipulate the ethnic balance in the area by sowing distrust. One of the suspects confessed during interrogation that their group had targeted only one cow, while the owners alleged that five were missing.
Security officials are now following up on leads to track down possible accomplices and buyers connected to the stolen cattle. The arrested suspects remain in custody and will be charged to court once investigations are concluded.
Government Stands Firm on Security and Peace
The Abia State Government reiterated its commitment to upholding law, order, and communal harmony, stressing that it will continue to strengthen intelligence-based security operations to prevent crimes designed to incite conflict or destabilize communities.
This incident adds to a growing list of successful interventions by Operation Crush, which was launched to disrupt organized crime, improve local intelligence gathering, and ensure that criminality has no hiding place in Abia State.
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